Lobbying and Ethics

Feb 8, 2016

Top 400 Taxpayers See Tax Rates Rise, But There’s More to the Story

As Americans were gathering party supplies to greet the New Year, the Internal Revenue Service released their annual report of cumulative tax data reported on the 400 tax r...

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Feb 4, 2016

Chlorine Bleach Plants Needlessly Endanger 63 Million Americans

Chlorine bleach plants across the U.S. put millions of Americans in danger of a chlorine gas release, a substance so toxic it has been used as a chemical weapon. Greenpeace’s new repo...

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Jan 25, 2016

U.S. Industrial Facilities Reported Fewer Toxic Releases in 2014

The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data for 2014 is now available. The good news: total toxic releases by reporting facilities decreased by nearly six percent from 2013 levels. Howe...

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Jan 22, 2016

Methane Causes Climate Change. Here's How the President Plans to Cut Emissions by 40-45 Percent.

UPDATE (Jan. 22, 2016): Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released its proposed rule to reduce methane emissions...

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more news

Support for Contractor Lobbying Disclosure?

Feb 4, 2009 by Amanda Adams*

In June 2008 Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) and then Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) introduced legislation to expand the information available on USASpending.gov, the Strengthening Transparency and Accountability in Federal Spending Act of 2008. The bill was a follow up to the 2006 Transparency Act, which the two senators also worked together on. It would have required USASpending to include information on contractor and grantee performance.

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Lobbying and Ethics Reform Takes Center Stage at the White House

On Jan. 21, President Barack Obama signed an executive order on Ethics Commitments by Executive Branch Personnel. The order details new restrictions for political appointees that work in the Obama administration. It limits the role lobbyists can play in the executive branch and attempts to reduce the influence of powerful special interests by addressing the revolving door — when government officials move to and from private sector jobs.

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Lobbyists Creeping into Obama Administration

Jan 28, 2009 by Matthew Madia

cash stacks President Obama's new ethics platform has already sprung some serious leaks. In spite of an executive order aimed to stem the influence of lobbyists in the Obama administration, former lobbyists are finding their way into top posts, according to the National Journal.

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Obama Strengthens Revolving Door Restrictions

Jan 22, 2009 by Amanda Adams*

On his first day, President Obama announced new limits on lobbyists. The Executive Order on Ethics Commitments by Executive Branch Personnel details that every appointee in every executive agency appointed on or after Jan. 20, 2009, must sign the pledge described in the executive order.

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House and Senate Release Revised LDA Guidance

Jan 22, 2009 by Amanda Adams*

On Jan. 16 the House Office of the Clerk and the Secretary of the Senate published revised guidance for complying with the Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA), as updated by the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 (HLOGA). It applies to any organization that registers under the LDA.

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House Releases New Rules Package

Jan 6, 2009 by Amanda Adams*

The House rules package for the 111th Congress released today (Jan. 6) includes only one change to House ethics rules. Last month groups called for specific House ethics changes, however, the package is not as extensive as they may have hoped. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) has a fact sheet on the changes.

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Comments on Form LD-203

Dec 23, 2008 by Amanda Adams*

The Alliance for Justice issued comments to the House and Senate in response to a request for comments concerning Form LD-203, used by lobbying entities and individual lobbyist to report certain contributions under section 203(a) of the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 (HLOGA). The comments reference the revised Lobby Disclosure Act (LDA) guidance issued July 16, 2008.

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FEC Approves Bundling Rule

Dec 19, 2008 by Amanda Adams*

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) unanimously approved a rule for campaign contributions bundled by lobbyists. The proposed rule was only released for public viewing instantly before the hearing. The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act require committees to disclose lobbyists who collect fundraising checks totaling more than $15,000. The rule will not go into effect until sometime next year and the FEC commissioners still need to approve an explanation for the approved rule.

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Groups Urge Changes to Strengthen House Ethics Rules

Dec 16, 2008 by Amanda Adams*

In letters sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH), the Campaign Legal Center and other groups strongly urged that changes are made to House ethics rules in regards to when members negotiate for a new job. The organizations included the Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause, Democracy 21, the League of Women Voters, Public Citizen and U.S. PIRG.

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Editorial Calls for Total Transparency by Lobbyists

Nov 20, 2008 by Amanda Adams*

An editorial in the Washington Times, Lobbyists are good people, too advocates that transparency is the only way to fight against the stigma surrounding lobbyists. As the title suggests, lobbyists are not all corruptive and many may lobby on behalf of nonprofits, for example. "Shocking news in this season of lobbyist bashing - many lobbyists not only are good people but also represent real people." The author proposes transparency.

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